The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1942. A FURTHER WAR EFFORT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 203, 28 August 1942, Page 2

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 1942. A FURTHER WAR EFFORT

yHE public is greatly indebted to the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates for removing, with due caution and restraint, the close veil of secrecy which has covered recent decisions of the War Cabinet, and the proceedings of Parliament. This secrecy had gone too l'ar. As Mr. Coates said, the people of New Zealand are "entitled to know" decisions vitally affecting the welfare of the Dominion, and his statement, no doubt carefully considered, has shown that it is not impossible for the War Cabinet to furnish general information without helping the enemy. If the enemy should now learn, for instance, that the War Cabinet of this Dominion, supported by Parliament, intends to go on calling up men up to the age of 45 years for military service, he will know nothing more comforting than that this part of the British Commonwealth is resolved to continue doing its part in the war which he began. But the people of New Zealand learn from Mr. Coates' statement the nature of the decisions which the War Cabinet has had to make, and because there is now authentic information in place of rumour, and comprehension instead of bewilderment, there will be a surer and stronger practical support of the Administration in the measures it finds itself obliged to take.

nf important part of Mr. Coates' statement is his intimation New tin yi, P roVld . e reinforcements and requirements for New Zealand s troops wherever they might be employed " but also "if Zca^anrfprH^in 3^ 1." to suppiy forces for any other theatre of war. New war Xrt tn iVo miß * ke "je gravity of this decision. The Dominion's Zealallrier ha=fnt' military side, has been considerable; no New •brild of th- 2nri m depreciate it. The assembly and transport to FH) N.Z.E.F. and its reinforcements, and of another force Navv anrllhl Fl3 P A y i of trainees for the Royal Air Force, the Royal Fleet Air Arm have made heavy withdrawals from the 05 tHe Dominicn. The mobilisation which followed How ft wm y hi War ,u as had results which ar e apparent to all. ttow, It Will be asked, can the country undertake to supply trooos for tor of"Sff.Mftlon. 0 / J""" 7 ,» W ",'? out knowledge of lh l and charac--wise ahd u f e '- dis J? atch of which may be regarded as wfn ho L n impossible to answer that question; but this ♦ho TTnif»li Ul . be apparent: In so far as the offensive operations of successful theif iffer?M N t S ° lom °" s a ? d elsewhere are progressively Buccessiui, tneir effect is to reduce the danger to New Zealand'*? nwn ♦h» r "i tl i iere T f . ore _J° lessen the need for the large force now guarding the homeland. If a New Zealand force can be so used as to S in i r . emo ,Y in e fhe scene of conflict still farther from the shores ™in m Do,li nio ? [t , will be defending New Zealand in the best possible y I , nstead of Passively. Lord Baldwin once remarked dtaUM ; he , Rhln S Zealand'"froruleMs^much aistant than the Rhine is from Britain. If in the future a forrp wf t fl ° r i eave "!? Dominion for another theatre of war the people could S® fl ,™ confidence that it was intended to do the precfse task for wSids It woSd hP ~i f task ° f defending New Zealand. In Mr. Coates' awaiting him on our own shoVe?' an fig g the enemy rather than " 11 wlll do this, and convince the people of its practical detPr Have no doub?ofthe pjple™ suppm. """ sacriflccs suitably, it need